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MG MGB Technical - Front suspension rebuild / coil springs

I'm in the process of rebuilding the front suspension off the car as part of a major restoration.

I've reached the point where I need to fit the springs and have been turning things over in my mind on how to best do this.

Assuming I'm not the first to have come across this problem, can anyone offer a solution?

I've got a quite a comprehensive tool kit and have access to the more unusual / expensive tools which may be necessary.

FWIW, I seem to recall a response some time back by Dave O'Neil using a jack and chains, but for the life of me I can't seem to find it......
N Dring

What a good memory you have.

As you can hopefully see from the photo, I had one end of the crossmember resting on a ramp, just to get it off the ground.

The chain went over the top of the crossmember and underneath the trolley jack. I fed the chain through a length of rollbar tubing, just to give some clearance where it passed over the wishbones.

Dave O'Neill 2

Dave - That's it!!

Thanks for the quick response.......I'll give it a try.
N Dring

The tricky part was keeping the long studs in place while refitting the crossmember. You can't easily get to the bottom of the front studs once the springs are fitted.

I used two pairs of mole grips, although they didn't allow the studs to protrude more than a few threads. Another option would be to use R-clips, with a length of string attached, so they could be pulled out easily.

Dave O'Neill 2

I thought about bonding a length of something to the end of the studs & effectively using these as a guide through the holes in the side rails as the crossmember is raised.

They would have to be reasonably long to grab and then pull the studs through. A tie wrap could then be used to stop things falling back through whilst the stiff nut & washer are put loosely in place.

I like the R clip idea though.
N Dring

spring compressors not that expensive...branded from about £10 on amazon, £20 at machinemart. even cheaper chinesia ones on ebay.

the right tool can make a job much easier, and in this case safer too.

G

Graham Moore

I have some spring compressors, but the access is not good on an MGB.

OK for Macpherson struts, though.
Dave O'Neill 2

Have you tried the spring compressors up the inside of the spring, up through the hole in the bottom arm- hook the top up on the spring a couple of coils down and the bottom under the arm, the compressors need to be accross the car not front/rear as the inside one needs to be pulled up further to get the top of the spring lined up with the X member seat
Fairly unusual having to do this but if the X member is out of the car it limits the options a bit
willy
William Revit

" if the X member is out of the car it limits the options a bit"

Exactly. Isn't it easier to re-assemble the cross-member once it is back on the car? From this point of view as well as manoeuvring the greater weight when everything has been attached. I can't really see the advantage of doing it before.

An MG is Born used a threaded rod up the middle, with suitable ironmongery top and bottom.
paulh4

I'm with you Paul, attacking the springs allows you to use the weight of the car, and a jack to compress the springs plus you can put the bolts in the chassis rails first. If you want to do some pre-assembly it only means leaving off the springs and the top fulcrum pin and to reduce weight (easier handling) maybe the dampers.
Allan Reeling

If the engine is out of the car, you don’t have as much weight to compress the springs.

It’s also quite difficult to fit the engine if there is no crossmember.
Dave O'Neill 2

1st statement agree, but second statement?

1st statement reminds me of someone posting pictures of his car wondering why it was so high, and it was only after several more posts back and fore that it transpired it didn't have the engine or gearbox.

And another with a car upside own on a rotisserie wondering wondering why the suspension was fully expanded.
paulh4

What I meant was that it is easier to fit the engine if the car can be moved around, which is obviously not possible with no wheels.
Dave O'Neill 2

Right.
paulh4

I used Daves method for dismantling them off the car and re assembled them on the car(engine out) with not too much grief.

The bungee was to stop the stub axle flopping about.



Tony Brough

If you want to assemble off the car, I find a spring compressor and air tools the easiest method.

Steve Simmons

Don't have a picture, but with the front suspension out of the car, A 2" ratchet strap worked very well at compressing the assembly.

I have also used two flat bars with holes in them and a threaded rod with nuts on them running through the center of the spring as a spring compressor.
Bruce Cunha

This thread was discussed between 16/10/2018 and 19/10/2018

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